After five years of detention… Dr. Faragallah Youssef remains behind bars

Saudi authorities continue to detain Dr. Faragallah Ahmed Youssef since July 2020, over his participation in organizing a cultural event at the Nubian Association’s premises in Riyadh.

On October 10, 2022, Saudi courts sentenced him to 16 years in prison, before the sentence was reduced in September 2025 to nine years, according to human rights sources.

In the same context, Dr. Faragallah Ahmed Youssef, 66, has been denied necessary medical care despite suffering from chronic illnesses, seriously endangering his health. He was also subjected to enforced disappearance, barred from visiting or contacting his family, denied the right to appoint a lawyer, and held for more than a year without trial.

Dr. Faragallah Ahmed Youssef is one of ten Egyptian detainees of Nubian origin arrested by Saudi authorities in July 2020 over their involvement in organizing a peaceful cultural event. The Specialized Criminal Court handed down sentences ranging from 10 to 18 years against them, some of which were later reduced, while their detention continues despite the peaceful nature of their activities.